Interviewing potential new employees is obviously a critical step in hiring. It's also hard and, in our experience, frequently not executed as well as it could be. With that in mind, here a few tips for improving your interviewing process

The Dragon is the mightiest of the signs in the Chinese Zodiac and symbolizes dominance and ambition. A Dragon is a powerful leader--driven, unafraid of challenges, and willing to take risks! Dragons prefer to live by their own rules and if left on their own, are usually successful.

As we begin the new year we thought it important to communicate what Baldwin Gilman commits to do as we assist our clients:

Two years ago, we started using a behavioral assessment tool as part of our candidate assessment process. Why? Because whenever we asked our clients to describe the "top 3 things" they wanted in a candidate, we heard a list of behavior traits more often than we heard about specific skills or experience. We heard about "fit". Sure, the job description covers the skills and experience, but we strive to read between the lines and find those candidates who do, actually, "fit".

Skype interviews are quickly replacing phone screens and even face-to-face interviews. And no wonder--conducting interviews with Skype can be very cost efficient and convenient if done correctly. Here are some tips to make your Skype interviews go smoothly and effectively: Make sure you're comfortable using the technology. Practice making some Skype calls to friends and family before using it for interviews. Inspect your setting. What will the other person see?

The first few weeks on the job are a critical time for both a company and their new hire. Well-organized on-boarding reduces the cost of disruption on the first day and beyond. The better and more thorough the on-boarding process, the higher an employee's chances of success. Both the new employee and the employer have a lot to learn about each other, and the expectations regarding how soon the new hire will become productive are typically very high.

Competing for talent in today's marketplace requires more than posting a job; it requires finesse. Whether you realize it or not, as an employer you present a certain image as a place of employment -- your employer "brand". As you begin to think about hiring and recruiting, remember that the brand you communicate to potential employees can be a key factor in attracting the right new hire. Here are a few suggestions for making sure your employer brand helps, rather than hurts, your efforts.

In our post on Employment Mega-trends we discussed a possible exodus of employees from all kinds of businesses. According to recent surveys, "one in two U.S. employees [are] looking to leave or [have] checked out on the job." [footnote 1] And according to a survey conducted by Deloitte, "only 28% of Gen Xers expect to stay with their current employers -- suggesting many companies can expect a significant exodus among employees they were counting on to become future leaders".

New Series: Employment Mega-Trends½.What Could Happen and How to Prepare We are ever watchful of employment trends, and we believe preparing for what's to come is of particular importance in these frazzled economic times. Therefore we're launching a series on employment mega trends -- what could happen and what you should be thinking about.

The BG Blog: Rich Fresh Content Twice a Month We are pleased to announce the new BG Blog. Here we'll share firsthand observations of the current economy and hiring, along with actionable tips and advice. In place of the bg Times e-newsletter our blog will provide fresh, concise content twice per month. Why the change? A blog will allow us to stay in more frequent contact with you, and you with us.